I'm
just going with the flow.any
red/green 'highlighted' words are links to deeper stuff.

Thursday
1st April Kerry arrived with Michael after work
and she will be staying here till They move down South.

Fighting the pain of my recent intense Psoriasis attack, I managed to get
across the road to provide numbers for Monday and left a bit inebriated and
wrote a reply to Sally's E-mail that worried my sleep as honesty can be a
burden.

Friday
2nd April Picked up my E-mail with trepidation
but was pleased that Sally had read it in the friendly way that I flirted,
both of us remembering our first love, many moons ago but equally aware that
she has a loving partner in her Steve.

Unable
to get across the road for Monday's practice, Cyril popped in and collected
the numbers info.

Had
an E-chat with Sally later and I played our album 'Bridge over troubled water'
with kind thoughts for her concern.

Saturday
3rd April Unable to bend to pick up the mail from the
floor, it had to wait till Michael returned from work.

Mark
also arrived, ready for the 'Boys' night out to celebrate Michaels move and,
as the lads were going to a Lap dance club in Liverpool, Kerry and the girls
were having a night out at the Coliseum, Ellesmere Port, while Sarah went
to Bingo with her Mum.

Fortunately, I didn't move from my chair and ended up watching 'American Beauty'
on TV which I now accept as quite stunning.

After
slowly moving to the PC, I collected a nice E-mail from Vince, a fellow sufferer,
which gave me further support in overcoming this passing pain presence
but now I've got to make effort to overcome the anaesthetic that I've been
using of late, from 'Bargain Booze'. while listening to Bob Harris on the
radio as I type this missive (maybe I've been trying to control my emotions
of late... too much).

I
was so pleased to hear that English Cricket had triumphed in the West Indies.

Sunday
4th April Just
about capable to prepare stuff for tomorrow's Whitby Chapter meeting but was
well aware that this pain is worse than the September outbreak.

Monday
5th April
Doug picked me up to take me across the road and while embarrassed at the
look of my hands I did manage to have an enjoyable night.

Tuesday
6th April
Phoned Aunty Dot on her 85th Birthday, a lovely Lady, and fought her call
for me to visit the Doctor but when Doug phoned and nagged me further,
I phoned for a home visit but managed to hobble next door to the Surgery.

After
I turned down the offer of an Ambulance, I returned home and packed an overnight
case before Kyle and Becka kindly took me to hospital, along with Michael
and Kerry.

I
was a bit choked as Michael left but once I'd been processed and allocated
a bed, I went with the flow and took the pills.

Wednesday 7th April
Before, during and after another painful collection of naps, I was tested,
prodded and pulsed before being moved to another Ward where I was tested,
prodded and pulsed before the Doctor told me that all was well and that
I would now see the skin Consultant... soon.

Fortunately, it was her day at that Hospital and after a very nice chat we
agreed to meet again on the 13th, after another blood test tomorrow, and
I was allowed to return home, still in pain but with lots of gooey stuff to
make it ease.

I'm
not a Hospital type of guy but I've no qualms about thanking the Staff at
the Countess of Chester for the way they moved their Patients through the
system but, as a watcher, I was aware of tensions within their system.

Thursday
8th April
Went for the blood test, before Doug came here to make sure I was OK,
then took a long soak in the bath and felt better and, after receiving a lovely
E-mail from Sally, forced myself to go across the road and have a Pint
without too much embarrassment about my hands.

Friday
9th April
Michael went for a meal with his Mum and her new man, while I attacked my
irritations.

Saturday
10th April
Michael went for a meal with Sarah and his workmates while I tried to find
fitting words to write on a 'Good Luck' card.

Had a nice MSN Messenger conversation with Steve, as well as a surprise E-conversation
with Nick, at the same time but was saddened that I'd missed E-chatting
with Sally... I'll have to put AOL Messenger on my main machine.

Sunday
11th April
Michael's friend, Steve, turned up with a White Van and they soon had his
room packed away in the back before it was time to bid our fond farewells.

It
was with a heavy heart that I gave Michael a big hug as I wished him well
in his big adventure but I know that he'll have lots to tell me when he
pops back up North in the next few Months.

Did
I say he'd packed all of his room, apart from the mountain of black bags outside
I found various other bags and boxes of detritus secreted around the house
as I aimlessly evaluated the space that was left.

After
I enjoyed another long soak in things medical, Sarah phoned with some sad
news about Mark's Granddad's health and I was well aware that she's going
to miss her little Brother rather a lot, as I thanked her for her Easter Egg,
but I haven't been in a chocolate mood, although I'll enjoy her and Michael's
eggs soon.

Monday
12th April
A less painful day, but did nothing of any consequence.

Tuesday
13th April
Doug kindly came and took me to Clatterbridge Hospital for my appointment
with my Consultant in the morning and I accepted the Acitretin\Light combination
in the hope that the benefits will outweigh the side effects.

My
Mother and Aunty Dot called in during the afternoon and I later spoke on the
phone with my Sister, on her Birthday and was pleased to report that things
are a bit easier.

Wednesday 14th April
Received a phone call from Michael and he seems pleased with his new Store.
Although still in pain, I was able to enjoy Cyril's invitation to Whitby and
enjoyed a talk on Masonic Charity, and a meal.

Thursday
15th April The
hands seem to be getting stiffer but I still managed to get across the road
to John's Installation where I was plied with plentiful anaesthetic.

Friday
16th April Tried
another long soak but not a comfortable day.

Saturday
17th April Was
happy that there is a noticeable improvement and easing of pain, so I
attacked the terrible backlog of Spam on my computer and was pleased to find
a couple of nice E-mails, from Gordon and Tony.

Sunday
18th April Tried
another long soak in the hope that I can feel more comfortable tomorrow
when Sarah and Mark take me to see
'Wishbone Ash'.

Monday
19th April Received
some cheer, for a change, in the post which gave heart to my idea that maybe
I am doing something right.

Jason,
Mark's Brother kindly came and picked me up and took me to join Sarah and
Mark.Mark and Jason's Granddads Funeral is on Thursday While
I was at their house, Michael phoned Sarah and, after he had told her of his
first day in the new Store, I was able to chat about how he was settling in,
in general.
The four of us thoroughly enjoyed our visit toTelfordsand
I was pleased that Sarah, Mark and Jason also enjoyed listening to professional
old time Rock.

Tuesday
20th April Doug
phoned to check that all was OK and must admit that the expected stuff is
beginning, dry lips, thinning hair, etc. but I'm sure it'll be worth it.

Managed
to get some domestic stuff done, although I can't get used to the pink Marigolds,
and enjoyed a chat with Michael's friend, Jamie, who popped in for a bit of
pc advice.

The
NTL man came to collect the cable box from Michael's room
and, after watching an interesting TV programme aboutThornborough,I
enjoyed another long soak and felt easier.

Wednesday
21st April Doug
checked up on me again and I do appreciate his concern as I come to terms
with inevitability.

John's
lady, Jean, drove us to Port Sunlight and the blokes, enjoyed Steve's invite
to a special 2nd at Progress, especially as the PGM and his Assistant were
in attendance.

Steve
contacted me on MSN Messenger later, about my feelings on the night and,
after confirming much pleasure, we had a go at the games on Messenger and,
while I'll look up the Rules for Minesweeper, I did enjoy a few games of Checkers.

Thursday 22nd April I
was hurting sufficiently to have to miss the Funeral but when Peter popped
round, I felt better, sufficient to have another go at the Kafkaesque DWP
via the 'phone and, confused, by the evening, I felt a need to have a drink
among friends,
before I became engrossed in the
Livius web
site.

Friday
23rd April An
uncomfortable day but managed to make a Webcam connection with Sarah
& Mark.

Saturday
24th April Received
mail from the DWP, to find the A1 claim form again and it seems I've now got
to start from the beginning again, which led to another apathy day, although
I did manage a Credit Card Supermarket run and bumped into Scott, from the
Hospice, and enjoyed the chance chat, before I spent the Evening, watching
repeats on TV but missed the chance of an E-chat with Sally.

Sunday
25th April I'm
content that the worst is over now as I regain my fingers and toes but
I'm saddened that my Garden still reflects my inabilities of late.

Monday
26th AprilI
took my 35 seconds of Light at Clatterbridge Hospital before returning home
to continue catching up, now that my hands are so much better.

While
I'm not allowed to drink alcohol I needed to get across to the Woody tonight,
after so many weeks absence, but was gobsmacked at the news I received.

Tony,
a 26 Year survivor of Marriage, had in the last few weeks undergone a similar
'I'm my own Woman syndrome' experience and I can only feel sadness... OK,
empathy, with his suffering.

Tuesday 27th April
Irritation, rather than pain, is bearable now and it's nice to be able to
pick up stuff again.

Jamie,
Michael's friend, popped in to pick up some pc bits and it was nice to have
a bit of cheer about again and coincidentally, Timmie popped in for a chat,
before I phoned Michael about a parcel that had arrived for him and I was
pleased to hear that he's settling in well.

Wednesday 28th April
Zapped with light again, for 1.11 minutes, took another blood test and posted
Michael's parcel, before rushing home for a 'bacon buttie' after the fast
from last evening.

Simon,
my Sister's lad, popped in to see me, perchance with his PC... which wasn't
working properly. After removing virus' from +3500 affected files,
there is NO excuse for not having Anti Virus protection,whether you pay for it or use a free service
such as http://www.grisoft.com,it
worked much better.

Simon
left in time for me to get myself a nice mug of coffee and settle down in
time to relax through a much needed E-chat with Sally, on AOL Messenger,
and we gotAd-awareinstalled on her PC, and and hopefully later, her
Family's PCs,
before I got stuck into reading an article, that Richard had guided me
to,
about Philipp JosephFrick(1742-1798).

Thursday
29th AprilWasn't
able to make it to the Hospice Fundraising Office for 2 but by the evening
I was able to force myself to go out... and turned right for a Thursday change,
and went to see how Tony was, in the Woody.

Friday
30th AprilWasn't
able to get up to see my Consultant in the morning but managed to get up to
1.35 mins of Light in the afternoon before calling in to see Doug and welcomed
receipt of Masonic Charity.